Point pleases O'Neill

22 January 2008 09:00

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was pleased with his side's second-half display as they confirmed their European aspirations by earning a hard-fought point in a 2-2 draw at Liverpool.
Villa trailed 1-0 at the interval after producing an insipid first-half display but improved after the break and, but for Peter Crouch's late equaliser, would have left Anfield with all three points.
O'Neill said: "We had more time to pass the ball then we thought in the first half and we started to give it away poorly at times. We allowed them to get easy possession at times.
"Consequently we conceded a goal and it wasn't a good goal from our point of view.
"At times, we just need a bit of belief. I know I keep talking about it but it's very important. But we've gained our 40th point of the season now which is terrific.
"At half-time, we knew we had to go and do something about it. In the second half, we weathered an early storm by Liverpool when they were trying to get the second goal. We came out of that spell and started to get into it.
"Marlon (Harewood) came on and suddenly we get an equaliser. He made a big contribution.
"We had the confidence to go and get ourselves in front. It would have been great to hold on for a fantastic victory but it wasn't to be."